Patentable/Patents/US-8441846
US-8441846

Semiconductor memory device and method for testing the same

PublishedMay 14, 2013
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array configured to include a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of bit lines respectively coupled to the plurality of memory cells, a first power-supply voltage supplying circuit configured to provide a first power-supply voltage to the memory cell array through the plurality of bit lines, a second power-supply voltage supplying circuit configured to provide a second power-supply voltage to the memory cell array through the plurality of bit lines, a first address selection circuit configured to couple a bit line selected by a first selection address to the first power-supply voltage supplying circuit, and a second address selection circuit configured to couple a bit line selected by a second selection address to the second power-supply voltage supplying circuit.

Patent Claims
16 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells; a plurality of bit lines coupled to the plurality of memory cells; a first power-supply voltage supplying circuit configured to provide a first power-supply voltage to the memory cell array through the plurality of bit lines; a second power-supply voltage supplying circuit configured to provide a second power-supply voltage to the memory cell array through the plurality of bit lines; a first address selection circuit configured to receive a first selection address, and couple a bit line selected by the first selection address to the first power-supply voltage supplying circuit; and a second address selection circuit configured to receive a second selection address, and couple a bit line selected by the second selection address to the second power-supply voltage supplying circuit.

2

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the first power-supply voltage supplying circuit provides the first power-supply voltage to the memory cell array according to a bit line control signal.

3

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2 , wherein the second power-supply voltage supplying circuit provides the second power-supply voltage to the memory cell array according to the bit line control signal.

4

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 3 , further comprising: a first address control circuit configured to generate the first selection address according to the bit line control signal.

5

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4 , further comprising: a second address control circuit configured to generate the second selection address according to the bit line control signal.

6

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein the bit line selected by the first selection address is different from the bit line selected by the second selection address.

7

7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein the bit line selected by the first selection address and the bit line selected by the second selection address are alternately arranged.

8

8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a global bit line coupled to the plurality of bit lines via first and second address selection circuits.

9

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8 , further comprising: a sense-amplifier configured to sense and amplify a current signal flowing through the global bit line.

10

10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8 , further comprising: a first connection circuit configured to couple the global bit line to the first address selection circuit according to the bit line control signal.

11

11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the first address selection circuit is disconnected from the global bit line when the first power-supply voltage is supplied to the memory cell array.

12

12. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8 , further comprising: a second connection circuit configured to couple the global bit line to the second address selection circuit according to the bit line control signal.

13

13. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 12 , wherein the second address selection circuit is disconnected from the global bit line when the second power-supply voltage is supplied to the memory cell array.

14

14. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the first address selection circuit is configured to couple the bit line selected by the first selection address to the first power-supply voltage supplying circuit if the first power-supply voltage supplying circuit provides the first power-supply voltage to the memory cell array.

15

15. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the second address selection circuit is configured to couple the bit line selected by the second selection address to the second power-supply voltage supplying circuit if the second power-supply voltage supplying circuit provides the second power-supply voltage to the memory cell array.

16

16. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the memory cells includes a phase change resistance element.

Classification Codes (CPC)

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

June 30, 2010

Publication Date

May 14, 2013

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Cite as: Patentable. “Semiconductor memory device and method for testing the same” (US-8441846). https://patentable.app/patents/US-8441846

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